heise



W. H. HEISE July 16, 1929,

HEARSE Filed Aug. 26, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. H. HEISE July 16, 1929.

HEARSE Filed Aug. 26, 1924 2 sheets-sheet 2 l Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

EVILLIAM H.' I-IEISE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO vFIG- ROCK RANCH COMPANY, F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

HEAR-SE.

Application led August 26, 1924. Serial No. 734,240.

My invention relates to hearses and more particularly to automobile hearses. There is a very `general tendency to minimize as far as possible those features of tinal interi'nent which have. become conventionally associated with funerals. lt now the general desire to do away with the usual trappings found on the standard hearse and to sul'lstitute therefor an ordinary sedan or limousine automobile, thus givingl the bereaved the illusion that the iinal ride of the deceased is not necessarily something radically different or more heart reading;- than other rides enjoyed during.: the life then terminated.

lit is an object of my invention to provide means by which a standard sedan automobile can be readily adapted for use as a hearse` without radically changing its outside appeara-nce.

llearses used at the present time usually provide for the insertion of a casket thereinto thru the rear end thereof. In order not to obstruct street tra'llic, hear-ses are ab ways parked parallel to the curbing'. This compels the pall bearers, when placing a casket in the hearse, to step down from the curbing into the street. This increases the burden on the pall bearers, who are sometimes rather infirm, and also detracts from the solemn appearance of the funeral service.

lt is an object of this invention to provide a means which will permit the insertion of a casket into a. hearse from the side thereof, and thereliy eliminate the disadvantages of the present type of hearse. To accomplish this object, l provide a novel type of platform which is movable into a position in which it extends outwardly through a side openi up; in the hearse, so as to allow the placing' of a casket thereon.` and which may then be moved into a normal position permitting aclosingr of the side doors of the hearse.

'lt also an object of this invention to provide a platform which freely movable. This is accomplished by the provision of separate means for supporting the platform and separate means for guiding` the platform through a predetermined path.

lt is a further object of the invention to provide a means for .locking the platform in normal position within thel hearse.

1t is still a further object of the invention to provide a means which assures the maintaini. of a casket in proper position upon,

Further objects and advantages of the linvention will be made evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings which are for illustrative purposes only,

Fin'. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view showine` the use of my platform in conjunction with a hearse.

Fig. 9, is a se 'tional View of the platform taken substantially as indicated by the line Q-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig'. 3 is a bottom plan view of my platform which clearly depicts the arrangement of `guidingrollers and supporting rollers.

Fig. 4f is a section taken substantially as indicated by the line 4 4: of Fig. 3, this view showing one type of supporting roller which may be employed in this invention.

, Fin. 5 a sectional View taken substantially as Vindicated by the line 5-5 of Fig. 1., this view clearly illustratingthe type of locking?v arrangement employed for retaining' the platform in normal position. i

In the drawings, my inventionis shown as being' employed in a hearse 11, which, in lieu of having; doors at the rear end 12, is jnfovided with side doors 1? which normally close a side opening 14. lVlien these doors are closed, the automobile does not differ essentially in appearance from a standard sedan.

My invention provides a movable platform which may be comprised of perimetrio angle members 15, which may be nickel, or silver plated, and which may be secured together in any suitable manner, such as by welding. Floor boards 16 Iare arranged within the :unile members 15, these floor boards being' llush with the top of the upper legs of the angles l5, as shown, and being' secured in place by suitable angle brackets 17 which may be secured in place, as by rivets 18. For movably supporting the platform, rollers or castors E20 are provided, as clearly shown in 3 and 4t. The castors 20 comprise a roller 21 which is rotatably supported by a supportingframe 22, there being a suitable bracket 23, which is secured to the frame l5 for attaching the frame 29. tothe platform.

F or guiding the platform through a designated path, I provide guide members and 2G, which are situated substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and As shown clearly in Fig. 2, each of theguide members 25 and 2@ may comprise a. bracket 27, which is tired. by'

.rire i, L?. to cross anale 29, I angle Cil 3. In a hearse, the combination or: a vehicle body ol" sntlicient size to allow a casket to be disposed therein with its major axis parallel to the ground and si'ibstantially parallel to the line of motion o'l' said body, said body having` a door at one side thereof somewhat wider than said casket but narrower than the length ot' said casket; and means cooperatively associated ywith the casket and l'loor o'l the vehicle :tor automatically guiding,` said casket in a determined path oit movement in such a manner that it is simultaneously swung; and advanced through said door.

4l. ln a hearse, the combination of: a vehicle body ot shllicient size to allow a casket to be disposed therein with Aits major axis parallel to the pjround and slilbstantially parallel to the line ot motion of said body, said body havingl a door at one side thereof somewhat wider than said casket but narrower' than the length oit said casket; a platform olf proper size to support said casket; and automatically guidingv means for simultaneously swinging and advancing said platlorm in a determined path et movement so that said casket may be taken end iirst through said door.

5. In a-hearse, the Combination o'l: an enclosed vehicle body of suliicient size to allow a casket to be disposed therein with its major axis substantially parallel to the ground and substantially parallel to the line olf motion of said body, said body having` a door at one side thereof; and means cooperatively associated with the casket and floor o'l the vehicle for so mountingand. automatically guiding said ca sket that it can be swung' around into a position to beremoved :from said body through the door opening with the major axis ol said casket at an angle to the line of motion ot said vehicle.

(5. In a hearse, the con'ibination ol arrenclosed vehicle body o'l suilicient size to allow a casket to be disposed. therein. with its major axis substantially parallel to the ground and substantially parallel to the line oit motion o t said body, a platform tor supporting,Y said casket supported by and bodily movable in a horizontal planer in relation to the floor oil said vehicle, and means for auton'iatically `guidingr said platform upon movement thereoit` whereby one end ot the plat- 'form will move in one direction and the opposite end in a direction substantially transverse to the travel oit said `lirst named end, said guiding means comprising devices secured to the 'tloor and cooperatinggl devices secured to the platform.

7. 'lhe combination with a vehicle body, a platform supported by and bodily movable `in a horizontal plane kin relation to YtheV :door ot' said vehicle, said platform being ot a sizeV ilireventing itsr horizontal rotationVY within the body, said body having a door at one side tfhereoi'l somewhat wider than the platform but narrower than the length oil the platform, guide means secured to saidy platform and cooperatiim` yguide means secured to said vehicle, said cooperating.;- guide means serving to automatically guide the platiiorinand constrain it, when moved, to travel in a single path o'l movement only, to cause the rear end of the platform to travel longitudinally forward and the forward end to project transversely and outward tlnongh the said side opening. Y

8. In a hearse, the combination of: a vehiele body, oit sutlicient size to allow a casket to be disposed therein, with its maior axis parallel to the 2ground and substantially parallel to the line oit motion olf said body a platform forsupporting the casket, said casket beingr oit al size preventing,` its hori zontal rotation within the body, said body having` a door at one side thereoif somewhat wider than said casket but narrower than the length of said casket, and means oper tive upon the movement of said platform to automatically constrain the same to njiove in a determined course of movement only, and in such ainanner that it is simultaneously swung and advanced through said door.

t), ln a hearse, the combiiiiation ot a vehicle bod i oi suilicientsize to allow a casket to be disposed therein with its major axis parallel to the body and substantially parallel to the line oft motion ot said body, a plat ttorm for supporting` said casket, and mountn ed on the floor of said vehicle, said platform and casket being,y or a size proventinl;v its ro-A tation within the body, said body lnivino' a door at one side thcreot somewhat wider than said casket but narrower than the length ol said casket, and cooperating, guiding,` devices associated with said platform and vehicle for automatically 5 liding said plat'lforin and casket upon movenlent thereof in such a manner that the platter-in and casket are simultaneously swungv and advanced through said door.

10. ln a hearse, the combination o'l a vehicle body, ol a Autlicic-.nt size to allow a casket to' be disposed therein with its` major axis parallel to the `ground and substantially parallel to the line of motion olf said braly, a platform morably n'iounted upon the door ol" said vehicle, said pl atl'orin being oit a size preventingl its rotation within the contines of said body, saidlmdy havingl a door atone side thereof somewhat wider than the l-llatitorm but nariazwer than the length ol" said platliorm, and means 'for guidingl said platform, automatically, upon a movement thereof, in such a manner that it is simultaneously swung and advanced through said door, said guiding'Y means comprising a plurality -ojfV guiding'r devices ot dissimilar curvature.V

il. In a hearse, the ceni'hinatien olf a ve hicle body of a sin icientsize to allow a casketl to be disposed therein with its major aXis parallel to the ground and substantially parallel to the. line of motion of said body, a platform movably mounted upon the tioor of said vehicle, said platform heilig of a size preventingits rotation within the contines of said body, .aid body having a door at one side thereof somewhat wider than the platform but narrower than the length of said platform, and means for guiding said platform, automatically, upon amovement thereof, in such a manner that it is simultaneously swung and advanced through said door, said guiding means comprising a straight track and a curved track.

1Q. ln a hearse, the combination of a vehicle body, of a sufficient size to allow a casket to be disposed therein with its major axis parallel. tothe ground and substantially parallel. to thel line of motion of said body, a platform movably mounted upon the floor of said vehicle, said platform being of a size preventing its rotation within the confines of said body, said body having a door at one side thereof somewhat wider than the platform but narrower than the length of said platform, and means for guiding said platform, automatically, upon a movement thereof, in such a manner that it is simultaneously swung` and advanced through said door, said guiding means comprising a substantiallyy straight track associated with said vehicle and a sinuous track associated with said vehicle, and devices carried by the platform cooperating with said tracks to cause the simultaneous swinging of the platform as it is advanced.

13. rl`he combination with a vehicle, a rectangular platform supported by the floor of said vehicle and adapted to support a casket, said platform being normally disposed longitudinally in relation to the vehicle, a door in a side of said vehicle, and guiding means secured to said platform and cooperating with the guiding means secured to the Hoor of said vehicle, said guiding means automatically causing a simultaneous swinging movement of the platform through Ia predetermined path of travel as the same is advanced through said door.

1A. In combination with a vehicle, a platform supported by and movable in a horizon-- tal plane in relation to the floor of said. vehicle, said platform bei ng of a size preventing its rotation within the contines of the vehicle body, guide means cooperatingwith one end of the platform to compel it to move in one direction, and a second guide means of dissimilar configuration cooperating with the medial portion of the platform to compel the opposite end thereof to travel in a direction substantially transverse to the travel of said first named end, said guide means automatically constraining the platform to move in demitc path of t1 avel4 15. rllhe combination with a vehicle, a platform of substantially rectangular shape supported by and bodily movable in a horizontal plane in relation to the floor of said vehicle, and means for guiding the platform when moved to constrain it to travel in a single lcourse of movement only, said means com- -a position transversely of thetable at one end thereof to a position longitudinally of the table at the other end thereof, upon being moved in one direction, and the revrse upon being moved in the opposite direction, and anti-friction devices between said table and casket bearing device.

17. ln a device of the class described, a table and pair of tracks therein disposed in diverse directions, a portable truck on said table, and guides on said truck cooperating with said tracks, the relative divergence of direction of said tracks operating to change said truck from one position at one end of the table to a position at an angle therewith at the other end thereof, one of said tracks having an angular portion permitting a continued lateral movement of one end of the truck after the other end thereof has comek to rest.

18. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a hearse-shaped vehicle having an opening in its side, and table therein, a pair of guides followingl divergent courses in said table, a truck movable on said table, and guide members on the truck cooperating with said guides, the divergence of said guides and contour thereof lserving` to turn said truck from one position opposite said opening to a. position at a right angle therewith at a point remote therefrom.

19. In a hearse, the combination of: a body of sufficient size to allow a casket to be disposed vtherein in such a position that the major axis of the casket is substantially parallel to the ground and to the line of motion ofthehearse, said body having a door opening in one side thereof somewhat wider than said casket but narrower than the length thereof through which the casket may be loaded into or unloaded from the hearse; and means upon which said casket may be supported, said means being so constituted as to automatically swing the of the casket towards or away from said position as the casket is moved into or out of the hearse through said door.,

20e 'in a hearse, the combination of s iiedf of sufficient size to alloW a casket to be disposed therein in such a position that the major axis of the casket is substantially parallel to the .ground and to the line of motion of the hear-se, .said body having a door opening in one side thereof somewhat wider than said Casket but narroiv'er than the length thermrf through which the casket may be loaded into or unloaded froin the hearse; friction redueiiig ineane upon which said Cashet may be supported; and means for autonlatirally swinging said Casket to or from said positioii as said casket .is moved into or out of the hearse through said door.

2l. ln a hearse, the combination of: a body of sufficient size to allow a casket to he disposed therein in such a position that the major axis of the casket is substantially parallel to the ground and to the line of motion of the hearse, said body having a door opening in one side thereof through which the easket may be loaded into, or unloaded from, the hearee; and Cooperating elements associated with said Casket and said hearse, one of said elements being automatically `guided substantially longitudinally along a fixed path in such a manner that said casket may be swung into or out of said hearse through lsaid door.

22. In a side loading vehicle of the Character described comprising in Combination a body having a platform longitudinally disposed wi thin said body and supported on the floor thereof for horizontal bodily movement in suoli a position that the maj or axis thereof is Substantially parallel to the ground and to the line of motion of the platform, said body having an opening in one side thereof Wider than the platform but narrower than the length thereof, and means for automatically guiding the platform, when moved, in a substantially determined path to cause one end thereof to travel in a substantially longitudinal path Within the body and the opposite end to sinuihianeously travel in a path transverse to the body and to be proj eeted outwardly through said side opening.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 21st day of August, 1924.

VILLIAM H. REISE.y 

